87 The Awakening Essay Topics That Will Get You Thinking

The Awakening is a classic American novel by Kate Chopin. It was published in 1899, and it’s often considered one of the first feminist works. The story follows Edna Pontellier (the protagonist) as she realizes that women have greater potential than being wives and mothers. She explores her sexuality and spirituality while experiencing life in New Orleans during the late 1800s.

If you’re assigned an essay on The Awakening or want to learn more about this literary masterpiece, check out this list of the Awakening Essay topics below!

Simple The Awakening Essay Topics

1. How do you feel about the ending?
2. What was your favorite part of the book? Why?
3. Is it possible to be a feminist without being a feminist and not knowing it?
4. What does this story have to say about gender roles and society in general, and has it changed how you view these things today?
5. The awakening of Edna Pontellier
6. The symbolism of water in the novel
7. Melville’s symbol for the sea and its effect on people
8. The role of color in the novel and how it relates to the characters’ personalities
9. The role of nature in Hurston’s writing, particularly as a source of power for black women

Easy The Awakening Essay Topics

1. How does the character of Edna change in the course of the novel?
2. Compare and contrast Edna’s marriage to Leonce with another pair in literature.
3. What does it mean for a woman to be “unsexed” at that period?
4. What is the role of women in society as depicted by Kate Chopin’s The Awakening?
5. Why does Edna Pontellier commit suicide at the end of the novel?
6. What is the significance of Madame Ratignolle’s nickname, and how does it relate to her role in the novel?
7. How does Edna Pontellier represent various aspects of nature through her character development?
8. How does Chopin’s depiction of the human spirit in The Awakening differ from other depictions of American society in the period?
9. Why does Chopin use a narrative point of view that distances Edna from her readers?
10. How can we see The Awakening as relevant today, more than 100 years after its publication?

Interesting The Awakening Essay Topics

1. What is the role of women in society as depicted by Kate Chopin’s The Awakening?
2. Why does Edna Pontellier commit suicide at the end of the novel?
3. What is the significance of Madame Ratignolle’s nickname, and how does it relate to her role in the novel?
4. How does Edna Pontellier represent various aspects of nature through her character development?
5. How does the author use imagery to represent nature in the story?
6. What are some examples of symbolism in the story?
7. What is Kate Chopin’s use of figurative language and imagery to convey mood, tone, and theme in The Awakening?
8. The use of symbolism in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening
9. A critical analysis of the characters and their development in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening.
10. An analysis of the effects of naturalism on the theme, plot, and characterization in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening.
11. Kate Chopin uses setting as a literary device in her novel The Awakening.

Controversial The Awakening Essay Topics

1. How different is Edna’s life compared to other women of her era?
2. What do we learn about society and gender roles through the development of Edna’s character?
3. Is Chopin’s novel a feminist work, and if so, in what way(s)?
4. Did Kate Chopin portray women as weak in her story?
5. How did Chopin describe time and place in this book?
6. What is the significance of water in The Awakening?
7. The role of women in the Victorian era and how this affected Kate Chopin’s writing
8. Kate Chopin’s background and influences, such as her husband’s death and its effect on her writing.
9. How Edna Pontellier symbolizes the oppressed woman and female sexuality in The Awakening.
10. A comparison between Edna Pontellier and Madame Bovary, a character from Flaubert’s classic novel, was also an independent woman with a desire for freedom.

The Awakening Essay Topics for Kids

1. The reader and Nick’s relationship.
2. The use of foreshadowing throughout the book.
3. Visions of suicide and infidelity
4. The role of women in society and the effect on their lives
5. Education, social class, and sexual awakening
6. The role of nature in the book
7. The theme of confrontation between social norms and emotion
8. What do you think will happen next?
9. What happens to the two main characters in the story?
10. How does Edna feel about her marriage?
11. Describe how society treats women at this time in history.
12. What do you think happens to Edna after she leaves Robert?

The Awakening Essay Topics for Middle School

1. Discuss the role of nature in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening.
2. Compare and contrast Edna Pontellier with other characters in The Awakening
3. Analyze how the author portrays women in The Awakening by Kate Chopin.
4. What do you think of the way Chopin developed her characters?
5. What kind of influence did Edna’s mother have over her life?
6. In the novel, why do you think that Chopin chose to make Madame Ratignolle so vain and self-centered?
7. Compare and contrast Kate Chopin’s The Awakening to other works of literature.
8. What are some of the themes in The Awakening?
9. How does a text like this change our perception of society?

The Awakening Essay Topics for High School

1. Does Edna eventually find what she was searching for through her affair with Robert Lebrun?
2. How does the novel explore the role of gender in society?
3. Does Chopin believe that women are subjugated to men?
4. Why does Chopin portray Edna’s gender struggles in a dream sequence?
5. What does Kate Chopin mean when she describes Edna as “a strange woman”?
6. Do you agree with Edna’s decision in the end? Give reasons for both sides
7. How does Chopin use symbolism in her story about Edna Pontellier’s awakening? Give examples from the text

The Awakening Essay Topics for College

1. Analyze Kate Chopin’s style and technique in this novel.
2. What role does nature play in The Awakening?
3. What effect does religion have on Edna’s life and decisions at this time (and later)?
4. The role of nature in The Awakening
5. The role of gender roles in The Awakening
6. How Chopin’s life influenced her work, and vice-versa
7. The influence of other artists on Chopin
8. Are other characters in The Awakening echo Edna’s passion for art?
9. What effect does Chopin’s portrayal of social class have on the story?
10. Compare and contrast Edna and Marie.
11. What are some other themes in the novel?

The Awakening Essay Questions

1. How does Chopin use symbols in The Awakening?
2. What are some of the themes in The Awakening?
3. Which character do you identify with most and why?
4. What is Edna’s goal at the story’s beginning, and what changes as she progresses through it?
5. What are the themes in The Awakening?
6. What is the meaning of the title?
7. How does Chopin portray Edna’s awakening?
8. Why is Edna a tragic heroine, despite her great strength and independence?

Conclusion

In this post, we’ve looked at some of the best awakening essay topics you can choose from. If you want to write your awakening essay but don’t know where to start, consider choosing one of these topics!

Joseph Oleksandr

With a passion for education and student empowerment, I create blog content that speaks directly to the needs and interests of students. From study hacks and productivity tips to career exploration and personal development